Lockerbie relatives, football supporters and domestic violence survivors among more than 100 groups standing together against Human Rights Act repeal

18 May 2016

A diverse coalition of more than 130 of the UK’s most prominent organisations – ranging from religious and professional bodies to law firms, unions, environmental charities and the families of terrorism victims – have today publicly committed to oppose any attempt to repeal the Human Rights Act.

As the Government confirms its intention to replace the Act with a weaker “British Bill of Rights” in the Queen’s Speech, 137 organisations have pledged to fight the proposals.

The broad and varied group of signatories include charities supporting children, older people, carers, victims of trafficking and slavery, disabled people and asylum-seekers and refugees, as well as national groups representing psychiatrists, teachers, football supporters and students.

Among them are Friends of the Earth, Refuge, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the Muslim Council of Great Britain, the National Union of Students, Quakers in Britain, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the TUC, Carers UK, Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner, the Terrence Higgins Trust, Stonewall, René Cassin, the Down’s Syndrome Association, the Football Supporters’ Federation and UK Families Flight 103 – the group representing families of the UK victims of the Lockerbie bombing.

The Human Rights Act enshrines fundamental freedoms into UK law and allows the British public to challenge abuse, neglect or mistreatment. Its introduction in 2000 triggered positive changes in legislation and public policy UK-wide, ensuring all authorities treat people with fairness, dignity and respect.

Details of the Bill’s content have yet to emerge – but all Government plans published to date suggest the “British Bill of Rights” would diminish rights protections for everyone in the UK and some groups in particular, threatening the very concept of the universality of human rights, and allowing politicians to choose which and whose matter most.

Universal, indivisible, inalienable

The pledge reaffirms that human rights are universal, indivisible and inalienable – not a privilege to be given and rationed by any Government. It reads:

“We believe in fundamental human rights and freedoms – shared values that protect every member of the human family and the society we seek to build together.

“We pledge to oppose any Government plans to repeal our Human Rights Act – in so doing we stand firm on guaranteeing universal human rights protections for generations to come.”

Bella Sankey, Director of Policy for Liberty, said: “These diverse organisations speak as one in defending the Human Rights Act. They join all the devolved administrations, all major opposition parties, Conservative rebels, anti-apartheid activists and thousands of ordinary people in opposing divisive and discriminatory plans to replace human rights with Government-sanctioned privileges. There is a long struggle ahead, but as the chorus of condemnation grows, how much longer can the Government refuse to listen?”

Stephen Bowen, Director of the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), said: “Whilst we still await the details, we are saddened the Government is ploughing ahead with plans to scrap our Human Rights Act, the Bill of Rights we already have. Today the British Institute of Human Rights is proud to stand alongside so many who recognise that the hallmark of a genuine bill of rights is its ability to protect everyone when the government doesn’t play by the rules, which the Human Rights Act does very well. We urge the Government to scrap these miserable plans.”

Kate Allen, Amnesty UK Director, said:

“Hillsborough shows how vital the Human Rights Act is to ordinary people when all other avenues of justice fail. We mustn’t let politicians tear up those hard-won protections.

“Walking away from the Human Rights Act would also threaten to bring down the crucial peace agreement in Northern Ireland. The government should leave the Human Rights Act alone - it’s ours, it’s working, it’s needed.”